


I gets better in the end

by Pearlislove



Series: A rare love story [3]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (Comics), Doctor Who (TV Movie 1996)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Multiple Doctors (Doctor Who), References to the Time War, Titan comics universe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-19
Updated: 2017-12-19
Packaged: 2019-02-17 04:59:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,404
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13069632
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pearlislove/pseuds/Pearlislove
Summary: The Eighth Doctor and Josie Day get a sneak peak of their future.The Ninth Doctor and Rose Tyler are shown a bit of The Doctor's past.





	I gets better in the end

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Lesbianchesterton](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Lesbianchesterton), [In_time_for_tea](https://archiveofourown.org/users/In_time_for_tea/gifts).



> This is set after the Titan Comics special Doctor Who and the lost dimension, where the Ninth and Eighth Doctor were both present, as well as Josie Day (it is all you need to know of the comic).

"Eighthy, can I have chat with you before I leave?" Eighth jumped. Suddenly, their older self was standing behind them, grabbing onto their collar with a strong hand and holding them in place.  
  
"Don't have much of a choice, do I?" Eighth answered, daring to be a bit snappy as the grip on their collar tightened. "Alright, alright, relax. I'm sure we can have a lovely chat."   
  
"I'm just going to wait over here, alright Doctor?" Josie, having seen what was going on, called out. Once she had their attention, she walked decisively away from The two Doctors, showing that she was not going to interfere in their business.   
  
"Alright, we're just going to have a quick chat, then I'll join you in the TARDIS." Eighth smiled at Josie, before turning back to the old man holding their collar. "So, spit it out. Before any more companions come running along and looking for us."   
  
Still frowning, Nine eased their grip on their earlier self's collar. "I just wanted to tell you to take care of her. Josie. You may think it'll be forever, but one day you'll miss her."   
  
"Miss her...?" Eighth looked up at the other man, looking into their dark eyes. He swallowed heavily. A sudden, acute sense of dread settled in their stomach.  "You don't mean she'll..." They couldn't say it. Couldn't have it confirmed that they were going to lose another one.   
  
The hand on their collar let go and two powerful arms wrapped around their body, pulling them in for a hug. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything we'll do and all we'll lose. I wish I could tell you change it while you can" Nine held themselves tight, whispering apologise for things yet to come. "Just...just promise me you'll love her. While you still can. Sooner than you know it'll be over."   
  
Eighth didn't know what  to say. The sinking feeling in their gut had enfolded, and tears where burning in their eyes. There was no words to answer for all  the pain and grief their future had just admitted too. Instead, he buried their head into the smooth leather jacket, letting themselves be comforted by his still grieving future.   
  
Number Nine was the confirmation, the final sign that what they'd been expecting for so long was actually coming.   
  
He could feel it every part of his body. The pain and terror of something so great, so horrific, that it had the whole Universe shaking. Eighth buries themselves deeper into the arms of their future self, and tried not to think of what was surely coming for them.   
  
"Doctor!" A sweet female called out, and as Eighth looked up, they saw a blonde haired woman with a sunny smile running down the road.   
  
"Rose!" Their future self let go of them, running towards the woman instead.  Once there, they caught her in their arms, lifting her up and twirling. They were so _happy_ , so light in mind and mood compared to when they had been talking to their younger self. _Rose_ must be someone simply amazing, to make such a change appear so quickly.   
  
"You're alright Doctor!" To The Doctor's big surprise, Rose kissed them. The sweet young girl kissed their future self passionately on the mouth, and they smiled as they kissed her back. The love between them was undeniable, and it warmed The Doctor's hearts. Slowly, Eighth turned to walk away, meaning to make it back to their own time and place. Josie was waiting, and they didn’t have a reason to just stand around, anyhow.   
  
The Doctor only has time to go so far, though, before they hear someone calling for them from behind.

 

“Hey, Eighthy!”

 

Turning around, they sees their older self - still holding the girl that he so obviously loved in their arms - smiling at them. There is something amused in their expression, and Eighth wonders why.  
  
"It gets better in the end." Their voice is strong and confident carrying over the distance between the two. The Eighth Doctor smiles, and though it is watery and weak, they believes it.   
  
Raising their hand as a goodbye, and as an acceptance of their words, they repeated it slowly to themself. "It gets better in the end."   
  
They were heading for a rough patch, they knew, and they didn't know how much of them and Josie would make it out in the end. But oh, now they knew, it was going to get better again. They was going to love again.

 

For The Doctor, it’d get better again.

* * *

 

 

From the sideline, Josie watched The Doctor talking to themself. She didn’t mind it really, but she could almost tell something was wrong. Their postures were tense and their faces grim, and suddenly the older Doctor pulled her Doctor in for a tight hug.  


It creates an unsettling feeling in Josie’s gut. What would the two have to talk about, that caused them such grief? Was The Doctor’s, and by extension also her, future that grim? She wasn’t sure, and she didn’t think she wanted to know, decisively looking away as though it’d make her forget what she’d seen.

 

“You’re alright Doctor!” Hearing a girl screaming, Josie looked back at the two of them. To her surprise she saw that they had separated, the older regeneration instead having their arms wrapped around a petite blonde who was kissing them passionately. From the sidelines her own self watched with loving fondness, and the look on their face made Josie violently ill, forcing her to throw up.

 

As she threw up the meager contents on her stomach upon the ground, Josie thought of the meaning of what she had seen. The blonde woman, passionately snogging the life out of The Doctor's older self, could only mean one thing.

 

However far into the future that this new Doctor was - not that far, Josie thought, because she had seen so many of them, and none of them didn’t seem to have forgotten her Doctor yet - it didn’t make a difference. Whoever blondie was, it meant that Josie disappeared. Werther dead or lost to time and space, that was what Josie had to be, because otherwise The Doctor would not have had someone new.

 

Josie didn’t think much of herself, but she knew that the terrified Time Lord, so uncertain if they’d ever find true love, was not quick to leave . They loved her and she loved them, and she knew they’d never let her go unless they could no longer hold on to her. Whether physical or mental reasons would be the motivation, they’d not just leave her for nothing.

 

Bending over once more, she threw up a second time, the thoughts and feelings that  accompanied the realization that she’d most likely be gone, abandoned or dead, before too long being too overwhelming to process.

 

“Hey, you okay? You haven’t got food poisoning, have you?” A pair of warm, soft hands land on Josie’s back, massaging it as she didn’t attempt standing up straight just yet. The soft voice of her partner finally forces her terrified brain to calm down in order to asses his words and formulate a response.

 

“I’m...I’m fine. I think that fish I tried last I ate was a bit iffy.” Carefully she unfolds her body, letting The Doctor hold on to her arm as she stand up straight without much issue. The nausea seems to have passed, and with a triumphant smile, she offers The Doctor her arm. “How about we go to the TARDIS? I could use a lie-down.” She smiled weakly, deciding that pretending to have food poisoning was a small price to pay so they wouldn’t know she had seen everything.

 

“Of course. I’ll nap with you” The Doctor kissed Josie on the head, gently grabbing her arm and leading her towards the TARDIS. “Come on love.” They gave her a kiss on the head, and pulled her closer letting Josie lean on her as they walked towards the blue box.

 

Josue was smiling, pretending all was fine, but inside she was coming to a decision. The decision, that if she was to die, she was going to die for something that was worth it. The Doctor, Earth, it didn’t matter, but she wasn’t just going to let him slip away. Because that’d be like giving up, and Josie did not give up.

  
She’d fight, all the way to the end.

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos & comments please!


End file.
